American Cultural Concepts PDF

American Cultural Concepts American Exceptionalism: US possesses qualities that make it unique different special American values, system, history are unique & worthy of universal admiration. America is different from othe...

American Cultural Concepts American Exceptionalism: US possesses qualities that make it unique different special American values, system, history are unique & worthy of universal admiration. America is different from other nations. America is a uniquely free nation based on democratic ideals, personal liberty. The belief that America occupies a special place in the world. It’s the leader of the world. MYTH: complex modes of cultural or historical self-understanding that are often, at least, half true. 1492 - Columbus ( first 1607 - Jamestown colonies ) Purpose is to find gold and make money. First permanent English settlement in the New World. First recorded slaves from Africa. 1620 - Plymouth Pilgrims Where the New England was first established. Represents the ideal of the New World as a place of religious freedom and opportunity. Completely SEPARATE from the Church of England. BREAK AWAY. Mass. Bay Colony Puritans Helped the settlers to maintain their Puritan religion practices without interference from the Church of England. To create “city upon a hill”. Christian society governed by Puritan religious principles. Most influential of the New England colonies. Puritans are more moderate than Pilgrims. PURIFY the church. REFORM. 1776 - Declaration of Independence American Revolution (1775-1783) 1861 - 1865 – Civil War 1914 - 1918 – WWI 1920s – the Jazz Age Roaring 20s 1930s – The Great Depression WWII 1941 – Pearl Harbor 1945 – Atomic Bomb Red Scare, Korean War, Vietnam War 1975 – Saigon Falls 1980s – Reagan Era 1989 - Berlin Wall 2001 - 9/11 Obama Ethnicity: the fact or state of belonging to a social group that has a common national or cultural tradition. Ethnic Group: a social group or category of the population that, in a larger society, is set apart and bound together by common ties of race, language, nationality, or culture. WASP: White Anglo-Saxon Protestants An American or British or Northern European ancestry who is a member of the Protestant Church. WASPS are considered to form the most privileged and influential group which formerly dominated US society. White dominant culture, upper class. Sense of superiority, exclusion. Hispanic: Someone who is a native of, or descends from a Spanish speaking country. Refers more to LANGUAGE. Chicana/Chicano: Someone who is a native of, or descends from Mexico and lives in America. Latina/Latino: Someone who is a native of, or descends from Latin American country. Refers more to CULTURE. Latinx: Gender neutral term to a Latino/Latina person. American: Refers to people who felt they had no ancestry outside the US and were not Native Americans. Melting Pot: In which cultural assimilation results in blending the heritage & traditions of previously distinct ethnic groups. A SINGLE CULTURE. DIFFERENCES BECOME LESS IMPORTANT THAN UNITY. Salad Bowl / Pizza / Mosaic Metaphor: Starting in the 1960s, another vision of American pluralism arose. Rather than assimilating, COEXIT IN THEIR SEPARATE IDENTITIES. MULTICULTURALISM Ethnic differences are acknowledged rather than disparaged. Xenophobia: hatred or fear of foreigners or strangers or of their politics or culture. Affirmative Action: In area such as housing, employment, new legislation was passed in the 1960s to prohibit discrimination. Many of these laws were controversial and have been difficult to enforce. The goal of affirmative action is to match the racial & sexual composition of the work place. Employers are encouraged to hire & promote women, blacks & others who had been denied opportunities. The Declaration of Independence 1776 The Declaration summarized the colonists’ motivation for seeking independence. “…all men are created equal,” “…life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Founding Fathers: members of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 which drafted the fundamental law of the US. George Washington, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison The Bill of Rights: The first 10 amendments to the Constitution make up the Bill of Rights. They assure individual rights including freedom of speech, press and religion.  American Beliefs & Values & Traits What enables its citizens to affirm their common identity as American? What makes people “American”? With immigrants from all over the world what holds the country together? Freedom Democracy Egalitarianism: The doctrine that all people are equal & deserve equal rights & opportunities. Grass-roots sovereignty: A grassroots movement is one which uses the people in a given district, region, or community as the basis for a political or economic movement. Grassroots movements & organizations use collective action from the local level to affect change at the local, regional, national, or international level. Common Men Sovereignty = Grassroots Sovereignty ▪ Protesting. ▪ Ordinary folks. ▪ There are no common men in Europe. ▪ To make the child labor end, make the labor rights developed, daycare center for working mothers, teaching language to newcomers, Local Government, specifying wage and salary. ▪ Ordinary people collaborating with government. ▪ Progressivism İlerlemecilik ▪ To make your voice heard, treated as an individual. ▪ We don’t care about your position in Europe. ▪ Reform Movement ▪ Ironic for America. Skepticism about government Şüphecilik Anti-statism: Is a term describing opposition to state intervention into personal, social and economic affairs. Devletçilik karşıtlığı Individualism: Views people first and foremost as unique individuals rather than as members of a group. Protestant work ethic: A view of life that promotes hard work and self-discipline. The rule of law Pragmatism Faydacılık Volunteerism Progress Mobility: Class Mobility. Move up (or down) the socio-economic ladder, improve financial status, education, quality of life. Hareketlilik  Self-reliance: Take care of themselves, solve their own problems and stand on their own feet. The American Dream: The belief that anyone, regardless of where they were born or what class they were born into, can attain their own version of success in a society where upward mobility is possible for anyone. Prosperity & success can be achieved through hard work. Equality, freedom, opportunity. Life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone Originates from the Declaration of Independence, “…all men are created EQUAL,” “…life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” The Frontier A line or border separating two countries. American Frontier: the advancing border that marked those lands that had been settled by Europeans. Also known as Old West, Wild West. Encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in North America that began with European colonial settlements in the early 17th century. In American history, the frontier was the edge of the settled country where “unlimited” cheap land was available attracting pioneers who were willing to live the hard but independent life in the West. It is characterized by the westward movement of European settlers from their original settlements on the Atlantic coast (17th century) to the Far West (19th century) Pioneer: Early settlers who moved westward during the American frontier expansion period. A pioneer embodies a spirit of adventure, self-reliance, perseverance (azim) Pioneers were both explorers and settlers. They ventured into unknown territories. They established homes, farms and communities. Westward Expansion: When Americans moved westward across the continent, settling new lands and establishing communities. Led to displacement, cultural disruption and violent removal of Native American populations. The expansion of railroads, agriculture and mining fueled the US economy. Disruptions to the ecosystem. The frontier spirit of exploration, self-reliance, opportunity. Romanticization of cowboy culture. Personal Control Over the Environment: People can/should control the nature, their own environment and destiny. The future is not left to fate. Result: An energetic, goal-oriented society. Change / Mobility: Change is seen as positive and good. This means progress, improvement and growth. Result: An established transient (geçici) society geographically, economically and socially. Time and Its Importance: Time is valuable. Achievement of goals depends on the productive use of time. Result: An efficient and progressive society often at the expanse of interpersonal relationships. Equality / Egalitarianism: People have equal opportunities; people are important as individuals, for who they are, not from which family they come. Result: A society where little difference is shown or status is acknowledged. Individualism, Independence and Privacy: People are seen as separate individuals not group members. Self Help: Respect for self-achievements not achievements based on rights of birth. Competition and Free Enterprise: Americans believe competition brings out the best in people and free enterprise leads to progress and produces success. Future Orientation / Optimism: Regardless of past and present, the future will be better and happier. Looking ahead to tomorrow. Action and Work Orientation: Doing rather than being. Directness / Openness / Honesty: Look in the eye, tell it like it is. Materialism / Acquisitiveness: Material goods are rewards of hard work. The evidence of “God’s favor”  Additional Reading 1: What Is An American? Written for the most part before the Revolution & published at its close (popular in 1780s – 90s) Presumably written by an American farmer, James. His agrarian (tarımsal) outlook (Like Franklin and Jefferson) The virtues of simple living in a natural environment. A broad characterization of American rural life. Emphasis on the American dream for everyone (high aspirations, land of opportunities, progress and self-development without restrictions of the Old World. Colonies as a prosperous agrarian society that has escaped class divisions and religious conflicts of Europe. Addressing settlements in NY (Northwest Europeans) Comparison of the Old World and New World. Praise of emerging American democracy. Idealizing with myth making (only good parts) The myth of America as a haven (sığınak) for the oppressed. Land of Opportunity Land of Freedom Land of Abundance / Vastness of Land / Taming the Wilderness (ıssız yer / el değmemiş doğa) The American Dream Free land and frontier Land of Hope / Promised Land / the New Eden Myths hide certain realities: Exploitation of natural resources and destruction of nature and other civilizations. Land of Equality = Egalitarian Society A new beginning / fresh start (new lands / manners / laws / life) Dynamic, energetic people with mobility - An enlightened Englishmen, when he first lands on this continent. - Feel a share of national pride, when he views the chain of settlements. - Work of my countrymen who were afflicted variety of miseries and wants, restless and impatient took refuge here. - Industry of his native country. - Fair cities, villages, extensive fields, an immense country filled with decent houses, good roads, orchards (meyve bahçesi), meadows (çayır), bridges where a hundred years ago all was WILD, WOODY and UNCULTIVATED. - A new continent, a modern society. - It is not composed, as in Europe, of great lords who possess every thing - The rich and the poor are not so far removed - We are a people of cultivators, immense territory, communicating, good roads and navigable rivers, mild (ılıman, hafif) government, spirit of industry, each person works for himself. - No princes, for whom we toil, starve and bleed: we are the most perfect society now existing in the world: The American Dream - Mixture of English, Scotch, Irish, French, Dutch, Germans and Swedes: now called AMERICANS - England: A country that had no bread for him, whose fields procured (temin etmek) him no harvest, met with nothing but the frowns of the rich, the severity of the laws, with jails and punishments who owned not a single foot of the extensive surface of this planet. - New laws, a new mode of living, a new social system. Here they become men, rank as citizens, the laws, title of freemen - Land, bread, protection and consequence: “Where there is bread, there is my country.” - American, leaving behind him all his ancient prejudices. A new mode of life. - INDIVIDUALS OF ALL NATIONS ARE MELTED INTO A NEW RACE OF MEN: THE MELTING POT METAPHOR - Labors and posterity (gelecek nesiller) will one day cause great change in the world. - The American is a new man. New principles, new ideas, new opinions. - Europe contains lords and tenants (kiracı); this fair country alone is settled by freeholders, the possessors of the soil they cultivate, members of the government they obey. - There is room for everybody in America: has he any particular talent or industry? - Avenues of trade are infinite. - He is hired, goes to work, works moderately, wages are high, member of a family - Resurrection (diriliş) - He now feels himself a man. - Laws of his own country had overlooked him, the laws of this cover him with their mantle (kabuk). - From nothing to start into being; from a servant to the rank of master; from being the slave of some despotic prince to become a free man. The American Dream for the oppressed Meritocracy (hard work for a new beginning) (yeteneğe göre insan atama üzerine kurulu system) Giver of hope / promises (land ownership and work) The US would be a nation of democracy and equality Praising the New World / America (advertising) Additional Reading 2: What’s “American” About America - The discoverers of America have, of course, been describing their experiences ever since Captain John Smith wrote his first book about America almost three hundred and fifty years ago. - Who Knows America - The Americans, we are convincingly told are the most materialistic of peoples, most idealistic, the most revolutionary, the most conservative, the most individualistic - 1956 - The American will - Inhabits the skyscraper, the Colonial mansion. - American: The Manhattan skyline, The skyscraper, the Model T Ford, Jazz, The Constitution, Mark Twain’s writing, Whiteman’s Leaves of Grass, Comic strips, Soap Operas  Additional Reading 3: The Significance of The Frontier In American History Frederick Jackson Turner A speech delivered at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893 Theory of frontier with American exceptionalism American traits (innovativeness, enterprise, westward movement, restlessness etc.) Shaped by the frontier experience - 1890 - Its extent, westward movement - The history of the colonization of the Great West. - Free land, continuous recession - American settlement westward, American development - Developing each area of this progress out of the primitive economic and political conditions of the frontier into the complexity of city life. - Fluidity of American life - New opportunities - Slavery struggle - The meeting point of between savagery and civilization. - American frontier is sharply distinguished from European frontier. “The American frontier is often characterized by the idea of exploration, expansion, and pioneering, with settlers moving into largely unoccupied or sparsely inhabited lands and seeking economic opportunities. The European frontier, by contrast, was shaped by established powers competing for land, resources, and control, often within densely populated regions. While the American frontier symbolized personal freedom and opportunity, the European frontier was more about political and military influence between powerful states.” - American. - At first the frontier was the Atlantic coast. Moving westward, the frontier became more and more American. - Away from the influence of Europe.  Chapter 1 My Notes Central features have conditioned US history, such as: pre-Columbian (1492) the treatment of Native Americans and other ethnic groups such as African and Asian Americans as well as Muslims and Jews. the War of Independence from Britain (1775-83) the westward, southern and northern expansion principles of dignity and rights to freedom, justice and opportunity in the Declaration of Independence (1776), the Constitution (1787) and the Bill of Rights (1791) egalitarianism, individualism and utopianism massive immigration from Europe, Latin America and Asia in the 19th and 20th centuries capitalism increasing government regulation and bureaucracies isolationist and interventionist attitudes towards other countries during World Wars and the Cold War growth of the US as a dominant economic, military and cultural force since the late 19th century These historical events created 6 major cultures: 1. Diverse Ethnic Culture Native American Civilizations European Colonial Settlement African American Slavery Immigration 2. Multi Faith Religious Culture 4. Economic and Consumer Culture of Production reflects: Encourages profit and consumption of goods Early Inhabitants 5. Media Culture Immigrants Information Contemporary Religious Movements Communication 3. Political Legal Culture Entertainment Individualism *became diverse and complex with social media. Constitutionalism 6. Cultural Expression in the Arts, Sports, Leisure Respect For the Law *unite people under Americanism Ethnic Culture: After earlier Native American and Viking immigration, Columbus’ arrival (1492) encouraged Spanish soldiers, missionaries, adventurers and traders to begin a European Settlement. Colonial Settlement after 1607 was largely composed of British arrivals who shared North America with Indians, the Spanish and the French. Until 1776, over half the population came from the British Isles and contributed to a white, mainly Anglo-American, Protestant culture. Democracy, independence of the people and skepticism about government. Individualism, a Protestant work ethic (working hard to be rewarded here and in the next) ant the rule of law (legal rules to all persons) Population: White – 197.9 million Latino – 55.4 million African American – 45.7 million Asian – 20.3 million American Indian, Alaska Natives – 6.5 million Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders – 1.5 million First, it was nice to have immigrants, they needed people. The population is becoming more racially and ethnically mixed: immigration, higher birth rates among minorities, amalgamation, aging whites with lower birth rate. Ethnic diversity has gradually reduced the dominance of the original Anglo-American Protestant culture. Religious Culture: Early settlers escaped religious persecution in their homelands and hoped to establish communities based on nonconformist (Anglikan Kilisesine bağlı olmayan) beliefs. Major issue was freedom of faith. Political-Legal Culture: Power of Constitution, fear of tyranny, creating no weak points. hope, democracy, traditional values, independence. Economic Culture: Individualism, Capitalism, responsibility, pay for everything, come and get it, free enterprise system (if you are poor, it is your fault because you did not work hard enough.) Republicans: self-sufficient, self-reliance, more traditional and conservative. Democrats: social government, provide for your basic needs “big business” = on one hand, it embodies the promise of economic opportunity, innovation, and the fulfillment of the American Dream; on the other hand, it raises concerns about corporate influence, income inequality, environmental damage, and the potential harm to small businesses and workers.